Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Antoine Semenyo's late equaliser helps Bournemouth draw at Forest
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Antoine Semenyo’s equaliser helps Bournemouth draw at Forest

Ghanaian International Antoine Semenyo scored a late goal to help AFC Bournemouth secure a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the season.

Chris Wood put Nottingham Forest ahead with a close-range goal in the first half. Dango Ouattara had a goal disallowed.

Semenyo’s goal earned the Cherries their first point of the new season.

Dean Huijsen made his Premier League debut, and Julián Araujo was named on the bench for the first time.

Evanilson’s registration came too late for inclusion. Semenyo led the line for the Cherries, alternating with Luis Sinisterra.

The match started positively for the Cherries, with Ouattara heading just over from a corner. However, the game was paused for ten minutes when Danilo was injured following a challenge with Semenyo.

Wood opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest, tapping in a rebound after Neto parried Ryan Yates’s shot. The Cherries then had a goal disallowed, as Lewis Cook was ruled offside in the build-up to Ouattara’s goal.

Alpha Turay nets on debut for FK Radnički 1923 youth side
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alpha Turay nets on debut for Radnički 1923 youth side

Sierra Leone’s 19-year-old defender, Alpha Turay, recently joined Serbian side FK Radnički 1923 and scored his first goal on his debut for the youth team on Saturday.

His 27th-minute goal was equalled by Graficar’s in the 44th minute courtesy of Stolić for the visitors.

Despite the difficult weather conditions, the youth teams of Radnički 1923 and Grafičar delivered a dynamic and substantial football performance.

“Diavolčići” seemed to be slightly better rivals, creating more chances than the guests from Belgrade and resembling their performance from the previous season by leaving the Šumadija capital undefeated.

The home team took the lead in the 27th minute when Radojković executed a free kick, and Alpha Turay scored on his debut.

However, the guests managed to equalize before the break, with Stolić scoring after a scramble in front of the Kragujevac team’s goal, checking Đorđe Nedović.

The second half saw an open game with numerous chances on both sides. The home team showed more agility, threatening first through Đalović and then through Dimovski.

In the next round, “Đavolčić” expects to host their peers from OFK Belgrade, and then Mladost from Lučani will visit “Čika Dača”.

Defender Alpha Turay's 27th-minute goal was equalled by Graficar's in the 44th-minute courtesy of Stolić for the visitors.
Defender Alpha Turay's 27th-minute goal was equalled by Graficar's in the 44th-minute courtesy of Stolić for the visitors.
Bo Rangers draw 1-1 with San Pedro set up a tense return fixture
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Bo Rangers draw 1-1 with San Pedro to set up tense return fixture

In the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League preliminary round, Bo Rangers, the champions of Sierra Leone, tied 1-1 with San Pedro from Ivory Coast in the first leg on Saturday.

The first-leg tie showcased an intense battle through the 90th minute at the Southern Arena in Bo City. The home team scored first in the 48th minute through Mohamadu Lamin, causing excitement among the fans.

However, they were unable to capitalize on their lead. The Ivorian team equalized through Issouf Dosso in the 73rd minute, resulting in a draw.

The return fixture is scheduled for next weekend, expected to be an exciting match as the winner will advance to the second preliminary round.

In other matches, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia achieved a 2-1 victory away against FC Vitalo from Burundi, while Namibia’s Africa Stars secured a 1-0 win over Gaborone Galaxy from Botswana.

Raja Casablanca defeated Garde Nationale 2-1 in Niger. Saber Bougrine opened the scoring for Raja Casablanca in the 20th minute, but their opponents equalized in the 37th minute.

However, Marouane Zila restored Raja Casablanca’s lead in the 66th minute, securing a 2-1 win for the Moroccan club.

Some results of the first-leg matches of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Preliminary Round:

– FC Villa Jogo 1-2 Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
– FC Vitalo 0-4 Young Africans
– Africa Stars 1-0 Gaborone Galaxy
– Ngazi Platinum 0-0 AS Maniema
– Saint-Louis 0-1 Sagrada Esperança
– Garde Nationale 1-2 Raja Casablanca
– Red Star 0-0 Djoliba Bamako
– Stade d’Abidjan 1-1 FC Teungueth
– Bo Rangers 1-1 San Pedro
– Douanes du Burkina Faso 0-0 Cotonou du Bénin
– Al Nasr 0-0 Al-Merreikh

Kei Kamara helps Los Angeles beat Seattle Sounders
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kei Kamara helps Los Angeles beat Seattle Sounders  

On Sunday, Los Angeles made history by advancing to the semifinals of the Leagues Cup for the first time in their history with a 3-0 away win over the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field.

Ryan Hollingshead and Kei Kamara scored first-half goals, and Denis Bouanga added the third after the break, making him the all-time leading scorer in the Leagues Cup’s two-year history.

LAFC will host the Colorado Rapids in the semifinals on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at BMO Stadium. The winner will advance to the Leagues Cup Final on Sunday, Aug. 25.

LAFC took the lead within the first 20 minutes, with Maxime Chanot’s long ball finding Hollingshead, who scored in the 14th minute.

Kamara doubled the lead 11 minutes later with an acrobatic volley. In the second half, Bouanga’s goal sealed the 3-0 victory for LAFC.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (in Photo with Kei) secured his third shutout in four Leagues Cup appearances.

CAF makes historic $50,000 giveaway to interclub representatives
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF makes historic $50,000 giveaway to interclub representatives

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has recently announced that each team participating in the Preliminary Stages will receive $50,000 in financial assistance.

This marks the first time CAF has provided financial assistance to clubs at this stage of the competition.

This decision is aligned with CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe’s pledge to enhance club competitions and provide increased financial aid to clubs.

The ongoing leg matches commence on the 16 August, followed by return legs from 23-25 August 2024. The upcoming Second Preliminary Round in September will determine the clubs advancing to the group stage.

Previously, clubs were required to progress to the Group Stages to qualify for a share of the overall prize money. Over the last couple of years, the CAF Executive has made substantial investments in African Club Football. 

TOTALENERGIES CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

  • Position | Prize Money
  • Winner | USD 4,000,000
  • Runner-up | USD 2,000,000
  • Semi-Finalists | USD 1,200,000
  • Quarterfinalists | USD 900,000
  • 3rd of Group | USD 700,000
  • 4th of Group | USD 700,000

 

TOTAL ENERGIES CAF CONFEDERATION CUP

  • Position | Prize Money
  • Winner | USD 2,000,000
  • Runner-up | USD 1,000,000
  • Semi-finalists | USD 750,000
  • Quarterfinalists | USD 550,000
  • 3rd of Group | USD 400,000
  • 4th of Group | USD 400,000

 

Striker Amadou Bakayoko opens his J League account for Sapporo
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Striker Amadou Bakayoko opens his J League account for Sapporo

Sierra Leone International striker Amadou Bakayoko scored his first J-League goal as Consadole Sapporo defeated Sagan Tosu in a high-scoring match with a score of 5-3 in round 27 of the season.

Bakayoko, 28, who joined the team on a free transfer, made his debut and scored from the penalty spot in the 89th minute.

Sapporo took an early lead with a goal from Supachok in the 10th minute, followed by another goal from Yoshinari Komai in the 11th minute, and a third goal in the 16th minute, giving them a 3-0 lead in the first half.

However, Tosu fought back in the second half, scoring in the 57th minute through Akito Fukuda and then closing the gap to one point in the 60th minute with a goal from Tojiro Kubo.

Sapporo scored their fourth goal with an own goal in the 70th minute, and Bakayoko sealed the victory for Sapporo with the fifth goal from the penalty spot in the 89th minute, securing the win when Tosu was once again within one point.

Sapporo’s win earned them three points, marking their first win in three games, while Tosu suffered their fifth consecutive game without a victory.

Meiji Yasuda J1 League Standings

Attacker Mustapha Bundu on target in Plymouth Argyle's Cup win
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Attacker Mustapha Bundu on target in Plymouth Argyle’s Cup win  

Sierra Leone’s striker, Mustapha Bundu, scored as Plymouth Argyle’s head coach, Wayne Rooney, achieved his first win in the Carabao Cup match on Wednesday evening.

The team rebounded from their 4-0 Championship defeat at Sheffield Wednesday with a 3-0 victory over Cheltenham Town at Home Park.

Plymouth Argyle had more chances in the first half, with Ryan Hardie and Freddie Issaka going close, while Ethon Archer hit the post with a low shot five minutes before half-time.

Ben Waine broke the deadlock after an hour, tapping in from close range after Adam Randell’s free-kick was parried onto the crossbar.

After taking the lead, Argyle dominated the game, with substitutes Mustapha Bundu and Morgan Whittaker missing good chances.

In the 81st minute, Hardie doubled the lead with a close-range finish from Ibrahim Cissoko’s cross.

Sierra Leone International Mustapha Bundu sealed the win in the 84th minute with a controlled finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

In his first game in charge on Sunday, Rooney’s team had suffered a 4-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

However, for this match, Rooney made changes to the lineup, with only young midfielder Darko Gyabi and goalkeeper Conor Hazard remaining, as Michael Cooper was set to join Sheffield United as their new goalkeeper.

Argyle 3 

Waine 62, Hardie 81, Bundu 84 

Cheltenham 0 

Abu Kamara nets in Norwich Carabao Cup win over Stevenage
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Abu Kamara scores first Norwich’s goal in win over Stevenage

On Tuesday, Abu Kamara, a native of Sierra Leone, scored his first goal for Norwich as they secured a 4-3 victory over Stevenage, earning a spot in the second round of the Carabao Cup at Carrow Road.

The team made seven changes from their last game. Newcomers to the starting lineup included Brad Hills, Jaden Warner, Amankwah Forson, Abu Kamara, George Long, Onel Hernández, and Kellen Fisher.

Kamara, who last season was pivotal in Portsmouth’s promotion, scored his first goal for Norwich, in the first start, but Stevenage quickly equalized.

Hernández then scored, but Stevenage equalized again. In the second half, Kamara and Hernández, both scored again, leading to Norwich’s 4-3 win.

17-year-old Elliot Myles made his senior debut towards the end of the match. Next, Norwich City will play against Blackburn Rovers at Carrow Road on Saturday at 3 pm.

The Carabao Cup Round Two draw will be conducted live on Sky Sports after the Leeds United v Middlesbrough match on Wednesday, 14 August.

Nigeria midfielder Alhassan Yusuf ready for MLS adventure
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigerian midfielder Alhassan Yusuf ready for MLS adventure

The New England Revolution has obtained Nigerian central midfielder Alhassan Yusuf from the Belgian club Royal Antwerp FC for an undisclosed fee.

The 24-year-old will occupy an international roster spot through the 2027 Major League Soccer season, with an option for 2028.

“Yusuf will join the Revolution pending receipt of his P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC),” NER has announced.

After three years in the Belgian top flight with Royal Antwerp, where he won three trophies, including the 2022-23 Belgian Pro League championship and 2022-23 Belgian Cup, he joined our team.

Yusuf played in all six games for Antwerp in the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League, scoring a goal against FC Porto and providing an assist against FC Barcelona.

He also made seven appearances in the UEFA Europa League. In total, he had 90 league appearances for Antwerp and made three appearances for the Nigeria National Team at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, where they finished as runners-up.

Highly rated youngster Gift Sunday joins Norwegian side
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Highly rated youngster Gift Sunday joins Norwegian side

Norwegian football club FK Bodø Glimt has officially announced the signing of Nigerian forward Gift Sunday.

“The 18-year-old Nigerian Gift Sunday is the newest addition to Bodø/Glimt,” Bodø Glimt noted on their website

He hails from the P Sports Academy in his home country and has recently signed with Bodø/Glimt until the summer of 2028.

“It’s a great experience for me to sign my first professional contract with such a big club like Glimt. It’s a dream come true,” says a smiling Gift Sunday to glimt.no.

“We’ve been following each other for a while, and he has previously visited us during a training stint. Now we’re looking forward to getting to know him even better,” says sporting director Håvard Sakariassen.